Flailing type beater means for threshing apparatus



June 23, 1953 H. M. DODGE ETALJ FLAILING TYPE BEATER MEANS FOR THRESHING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 17, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Howard MqDo BY a 2M N h R e m e June 23, 1953 H M. DODGE |=:1-m.v 2,

FLAILING TYPE 13mm ms FOR THRESHING upmrus Filed Nov. 17, 1948 I 3 Sia'ets-snet 2 INVENTOR F1 .10 g P17. 11 BY Clarence Neff' ATTOR NVEYS Patented June 23, 1953 FLAILING TYPE HEATER MEANS FOR THRESHING APPARATUS Howard M. Dodge and Clarence Neil, Wabash, Ind., assignors to The General Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of 01110 Application November 17, 1948, Serial No. 60,604

This invention relates to threshing machines,

and'more particularly to an improved rotatable cylinder for use in separators of the beater type.-

The improvements of the present invention are directed to threshers of the type shown in U. S.

Patent No. 2,265,380, issued December 9, 1941, to Harold Maginn.

The principal object of the present invention objective being achieved by utilizing radially exis the general improvement of the threshing action in separators of the rotary beater type, this tending deformable beater elements that are relatively thin and yield circumferentially. Preferably the heaters are formed to include unsupported elements or portions to yield radially. A soft crushing of grain and other crops. By reason of the yielding of the heaters the present thresher tends to reject large bulky articles and prevent them from entering the machine. Yet, by reason of yielding readily both circumferentially and radially, the heaters permit large andbulky articles not rejected topass through the thresher without objectionable damage to the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is achieved comprises the combination of a rotatable structure or support and a plurality of groups or multiple units of beater elements demountably secured to the support for facile assembly and removal, permitting the thresher tobe quickly and easily repaired.

Another object is to provide beater elements of the yieldable type which are arranged in a group or gang along a connectingmember, the

connecting member preferably being of rigid character to facilitate mounting of the multiple unit or gang beaters on the rotatable support or drum of the thresher.

Another object is to provide, in combination, a rigid thresher cylinder structure or rotatable support, and groups of integral or separate beaters adapted for unit mounting on the cylinder structure. More specifically, the invention seeks to provide individual or separate beaters 6 Claims. (Cl. 130-27) connected together in inner edges;

I groups at or adjacent their bases for attachment in multiple tatable thresher structure.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention relate to details of construction and arrangements of parts to provide for more economical manufacture of threshers and their component parts andfor economical maintenance and'repair ofworn and broken heaters, as will becom apparent from the following detailed descriptions of severalembodiments ofthe invention. This description is made in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification.

beating action is thus obtained that minimizes Like parts throughout the several views are indicated by the same letters and numerals of reference. In'the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the cylinder and concave of a thresher showing a preferred construction, the view corresponding to Fig. 2 of the patentreferred to, and parts being brokenaway and removed Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional detail, with parts broken away and removed, taken, substantially along the line indicated at 22 of Fig. 1 and enlarged with respect to that figure;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail through the cylinder, this view being taken along the line indicated at 3-3 ofFig. 2, with'parts broken away and removed and enlarged with'respect to that figure;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail taken substantially along the line indicated at 4-4 of Fig. 3 and to Fig. 3, showing a modification in which the heaters are divided into separate elements;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the lower half of one end of a modified beater cylinder, parts being broken away and removed;

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectional detail taken substantially along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detai1,with parts broken away and removed. taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. '7; i

Fig. 9'is a longitudinal sectional'detail similar to Fig. 7, showing. a modification similar to that illustrated in Figs. 6 through 8, the beatergroups being divided to provide separate beater elements along the working edges of the heaters;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional detail, with parts broken away and removed, showing a modification in which the rubber beater groups are secured in place bymetal clamping elements attached tothe rotatable supporting structure or drum and engaging the beatergroups along their Fig. 11 is a sectional detail, with parts broken units to a ro- 3 away and removed, taken substantially along the line indicated at llll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an elevational view showing the lower half of one end of a modified cylinder assembly in which rubber beaters in groups are arranged in integral pairs, each pair being secured to the rotatable drum or supporting structure by common metal clamping means;

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional detail, with parts broken away and removed, taken substantially a10ng the line indicated at l3|3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is an end elevational view showing the integrally joined beaters of Figs. 12 and 13 in their unstressed shape in which the beater groups are molded;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view of the lower half of one end of a thresher cylinder showing a modified gang beater construction; and

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal sectional detail, with parts broken away and removed, taken substantially along the lines indicated at l6|6 of Fig. 15

The separator shown in assembly in Fig. 1 comprises a driven shaft I horizontally supported in journals 2 of spaced end plates 3, the latter being parts of the housing of the thresher. A number of circular discs or spiders 4 are spaced along the shaft l, several of the discshaving enlarged hubs 5 which are drivingly secured to the shaft I. The discs are secured together in groups by rolled steel angle connecting members or bars 6 arranged in parallel relation to one another and spaced circumferentially about the flanged peripheries of the discs. The bars are secured as by bolts 1 which pass through aligned holes in the bars and disc flanges l5. Thus, the spiders and bars comprise a supporting structure or cylinder C which rotates with the shaft I. The bars 6 are substantially parallel to and equidistantly spaced from the shaft and from one another, although other mounting arrangements can be used.

Secured along each of the bars 6 is a group or gang B of integrally connected beater elements 8 formed of molded rubber, either natural or synthetic, compounded to exhibit physical characteristics substantially like those of the rubber employed in conventional pneumatic vehicle tires. The gang beater elements. 8 are simultaneously cured or heat molded in place to one of the flanges of the bars 6. Although the beaters 8 may be individually mounted on or vulcanized to either short or long sections of the attaching bars 6 it is preferable, for reasons of economy and improved operating characteristics, to mold and attach the beater to the-mounting bars in groups or gangs. A multiple pocket vulcanizing mold is used for this purpose, the mold having as many as five or more cavities in side by side aligned relation to form a like number of the heaters 8. The mold is formed with a recess to receive the mounting bar 6 to which the several heaters are simultaneously secured by vulcanization during the single molding operation.

The several mold cavities may be continuous with one another so that during the molding operation the several beaters are integrally connected together through wing portions H, as shown in Fig. 3. The curved outer edges. l2 of the several beaters form a continuous or unbroken undulating edge along the entire length of the group or gang of beaters.

A suitable adhesive agent is employed to insure that the elementsbond to the bars during vergent wing portions vulcanization. Preferably the bar flanges 9 to which the beaters are bonded or attached are transversely curved away from the direction of rotation of the beaters. This curving of one of the bar flanges toward the other or attaching flange l3 strengthens the beater structure and minimizes tearing and breaking of the individual rubber beaters under severe and repeated bending and deformation encountered in the threshing operation. The convex leading faces of the curved flanges 9 are preferably covered with a protective rubber sheath 28 bonded thereto during molding of the beaters and integral with the rubber of the beaters.

Each beater element is generally of T shape, having a central attaching portion l0 and di- II which taper toward their tips. The base of the attaching portion I0 is molded to embrace the curved flanges 9 of the bars and the beaters extend radially from the cylindrical supporting structure C to which they are thus attached.

In operation the outer edges [2 of the beater element pass in close proximity to a number of bars [4 forming part of a concave structure S supported beneath the beater cylinder. The concave structure includes a curved body member or plate 46 concentric to the rotational axis of the cylinder. Threshing action occurs through the striking of the grain by the beaters 8 and against the bars l4 and through the cooperative action of the beaters and the concave bars.

The beater cylinder is rotated by a suitable power source, not shown, to turn in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2 and as indicated by the arrow in that figure. A number of spaced openings 41 are provided in the concave. plate to release threshed grain to drop between the beater bars M from the interior of the concave structure.

Each of the beaters is considerably greater (several times greater) in radial height than in circumferential thickness, preferably having a height as much as about five times its thickness. The laterally unsupported or free bending height radially outward or beyond the edge of the curved flange of the bar is less than the total height, being preferably at least about three times the thickness of the working portions of the beater. The working portions referred to are the Wing portions ll and the body portion located between the wing portions. The axial length of each beater along the cylinder is also several times greater than the beater thickness. This construction results in pronounced circumferential yielding or bending of the beaters during the threshing operation. Some twisting also occurs, particularly in those beaters having wing tips separated from adjacent beaters, as later described. The bending and twisting tends to localize in those attaching portions ID of the beaters adjacent the mounting bars 5 by reason of the radially tapered configuration and cross section of each beater. The width of each beater increases toward its outer or beating edge I2.

Each beater is desirably formed on its rear face with a raised or thickened portion I! which provides a locally increased section in the body of the beater adjacent the edge I 8 of the curved bar flange 9. This increased section distributes the bending in the stem portion of the beater element and provides an increased rubber section about the edge l8 of the bar flange 9 to resist any tendency of the rubber to fail or become separated from the metal. In the molding or heater forming operation the bar 6 may be supported in the mold as by spaced pins whichengage the edge l8 of the curved flange 9. Such support pins form localized cavities 19 in the increased rubber section I]. V a e In a thresher having the wing portions of adjacent beaters integrally connected,- the beaters provide mutual support for one another in. resisting both radial and circumferential deflection or deformation. Along the length of such a gang of integrally connected beaters the resistance to radial deflection varies, being'greatest in line with the attaching portions ID of the beater elements and being least along the line of attachment between adjacent beaters. The deformable and resilient beaters are shown intheir static or unstressed condition by'the full. lines of the drawings. During rotation under dynamic conditions, however, the centrifugal force acting on the beater bars causes the wing portions II to move or bend radially outward so that the outer edges l2 become substantially straight. Thus, the several beaters oi eachgang cooperatively present a substantially straight beating edge extending the full length of the cylinder.

Should a hard or non-yielding object enter between the concave structure S and the rotating cylinder, the resilient beaters are adapted to yield and prevent damage to the thresher. The shape of the beaters and the extreme deformability of the wing portions ll permits relatively large objects, such as stones and pieces of wood, to pass harmlessly through the thresher., Since the wing portions II of the beater are radially unsupported, radial deflection or yielding thereof occurs under relatively light loads. Broken lines in Figs. 3 and 5- illustrate positions of the beater wing portions II when subjected to radial loads. A thresher cylinder of any desired length may be built up using cylinder sections mounting the beater gangs of the present invention. In Fig. l a group of the beater gangs is mounted on each of two cylinder sections supported on the shaft I in end to end relation. The individual beater supporting bars 6 of the two cylinder structures are aligned with one another, abutted, and connected by bolted tie bars 29. A longer shaft may be employed and additional groups of beater gangs may be added on other cylinder sections to obtain any desired beater length. Should one or more of the beaters 8 become worn or damaged, the bar 6 mounting such beater may be readily removed from the cylinder assembly and replaced by a new beater gang unit.

In building up the thresher cylinders of th present invention, the beater gangs are arranged v on the supporting disks 4 so that the individual beater elements 8 are ofiset axiallywith respect to one another around the circumferenceof the cylinder. Thus, a more uniform beating action occurs along the length of the cylinder, the relatively soft and yieldable wing portions ll of the beater being followed by a relatively stiffer central portion of a succeeding beater. As shown in Fig. 1, the cylinderv employs eight rows of beaters equally spaced circumferentially. The beater elements of adjacent rows are axially spaced a distance corresponding to half the width of the beater element, although other, spacings or axial offsets may be employed.

The gang beater units or assemblies each comprises an elongated integral rubber structure which, when mounted as part of a thresher cylin der, is of greater radial height than circumfere ential thickness. Between the yieldable wing 1 portions ll of the beaters and the relatively'stifl or rigid attaching bars 6 are openings or spaces 2|, preferably semi-circular in form, located at equally spaced intervals along the length of each gang beater. v

As an alternative arrangement the, wings ll cutting orslitting of'the rubber along lines be-.

tween the. wing. portionsof adjacent beater elements is performed, as by a hot knife or a rotating. water lubricated circular cutter, shortly after the molding operation in which the multiple beater gangs are each formed as an integral unit.

For example, the severing is desirably done while a the rubber retains suflicient of the molding heat to be perceptible by manual contact.

The inherent tendency, of the molded rubber to shrink more than the metal support bar upon cooling after removal from themoldyor, differently stated, the difierence in the coeflicients of thermal expansion of the rubber of the beaters and the steel of the support'bar, the rubber coeflicient beinggreater, is thus utilized to provide, without removal of any substantial amount-of the rubber material, thespaces 2| between the confronting ends of the adjacent beaters, the individual; beaters being held in predetermined positions along the length of the rigid metal support bar 6 andthe overall length of the beater gang beingpredetermined and accurately controlled by the bar. I In the thresher of Fig. 5, wherein the wings of the individual beaters 8 are not connected to the wings of adjacent beaters, the wings H are cantilever structures and readily yield when sub I jected to radial loads.

For example, one of the beater wings H may be deflected radially inward to substantially the position indicated by the broken lines of Fig. 5 when driven against a non-yielding object, such as a rock'or a stone, or even against a branch or heavy weed stock. The full lines ofFig. 5 show the beater elements in their unstressed condition, it-being understood that during operation centrifugal force causes the wings of the beater elements to bend outwardly so that the working edges'of the beater elements become substantially straight. j

In' Figs. -6 through 8 is illustrated a modification in which the beaters '8 of each gang arev The beaters 8 may be molded with the attach-- ing flange strip 22 angularly disposed, as shown, or the beaters and strip may be molded flat and bent to the desired angle in assembly. Lateral flanges 25 and 26 on the clamping plates 23 and 24 respectively are spaced to receive between them the attaching base strip 22. These plate flanges are shapedto hold the. beaters in the desired amasvrr 7 radial positions relative to the cylinder 'struc ture C.

A number or gang of the beaters are integrally formed in end to end relation in a single molding operation. The attaching plates 23 and 24, as well as the rubber base strip 22, are continuous throughout the length of the gang beater and serve as elements of the cylinder structure to connect the spiders 4. Along the edge of the base strip 22 is formed an integral enlargement .or bead 21 which serves to locate the strip with respect to the clamping plates 23 and 24 and also toresist shifting of the strip under the strong centrifugal forces developed during rotation of the cylinder in threashing. The base strip 22, although preferably one piece for each beater gang, as shown, may alternatively comprise short lengths each integral with the attaching portion In of one of the beaters.

The several beater elements of the gang may be integrally connected through the ends of their wing portions H as illustrated in Fig. '7, or the wing portions may be severed or separated by the slots 20, as shown in Fig. 9. These slots may be formed during the molding operation 'or subsequently by slitting with a knife or other cutter.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a modification in which an attaching flange 30, preferably integrally formed along the attaching portions ill of the several beater elements of the gang, is clamped between rolled or stamped metal plates 3| and 32 bolted to the flanges l5 of the rotatable discs 4. The attaching flange 30 may be molded in the angularly disposed position, relative to the beaters, as illustrated, or the beaters and attaching flange may be molded flat with the flange substantially in the plane of the beaters. When the attaching flange 3D is molded in the plane of the beater it is bent to the angular position illustrated in Fig. 11 in assembly and angularly disposed flanges 33 and 34 on the plates 3| and 32, respectively, hold the heaters in the desired radial positions on the cylinder structure. A protective covering of rubberized fabric material, indicated at 35, may be wrapped about and bonded to the attaching flange 30 to protect the rubber against chafing between the clamping plates 3| and '32. A bead or enlargement 36 is formed along the edge of each of the rubber attaching flanges 30 and is received in a matching longitudinally extending pocket formed by an intermediate channel portion 31 of the plate 32. The interlocking connection so provided resists withdrawal of the rubber attaching flange from between the clamping plates. The longitudinally extending attaching flange is wholly embraced by the clamping plates 3| and 32, and is held solely by the clamping action, there being no piercing of the rubber parts by the bolts 1 or in the case of the preceding and succeeding embodiments.

The beaters of the gang of Figs. and 11 are integrally connected to one another in the molding operation through the continuous attaching flange 3B, Thus the axial spacing of the beaters along the cylinder is predetermined in this modification as in the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the other figures. The beaters may be integrally joined at the ends of their wing portions H or, as illustrated, the wing portions may be severed or separated by the slots'20.

Figs. 12 through 14 illustrate another modified arrangement wherein gangs of beaters are connected in pairs throughtheir bases it by integral attaching members or webs 40 .clamped to the cylinder structure .0 by irmer :and outer plates M and 42 respectively. The platesare fastened to the cylindrical flanges l5 of the discs or rotatable members 4 by the bolts 1 and the plates have angularly disposed flange portions 43 and 44 which embrace radially disposed portions of the connecting webs 40 to hold the beaters in the desired radial positions relative to the cylinder structure. The gang beater pairs, for reasons of economy, are preferably molded flat or in a common plane, as shownin Fig. 14, and bent to the desired radial positions in assembly. The attaching plates 4| and 42 extend the full length of the beater gangs and serve to hold the beaters in the radial positions desired. The outer or working portions of the beater elements, adjacent the edges |2, are free to bend circumferentially of the cylinder during threshing. The connecting webs 40 have central portions of reduced section providing locating corners 45 for centering the attaching plates 4| and 42, thereby facilitating assembly.

The several beaters of each gang integrally connected through their bases l0 and wing portions H, are also integrally connected through the'web 40 to the beaters of the companion gang. If desired, slots may be formed between the wings ll of some or all of the beaters, corresponding to the slots 20 previously mentioned.

Figs. 15 and lfi'illustrate still another modified arrangement wherein the beater gangs are arranged in companion pairs. Each beater is bonded as by vulcanization to one of two angularly disposed flange portions 50 of an attaching plate 5| secured by the bolts '1 to the circular flanges or rims l5 of the discs 4. The flange portions 50 of the attaching plate are embedded in the base portions ID of the beaters and the rubber of the beater portions [0 may be continuous or integral with a protective rubber covering on the flanges 50. This rubber covering, bonded to the metal of the flanges, extends throughout the length of the gang, serving as an integral connection between the several beaters.

As many as four or more of the companion pairs of gang beaters are spaced equally about the circumference of the cylinder supporting structure C. The attaching plates 5| serve not only as supports for'the companion pairs of gang beaters but also as elements of the cylinder structure C. If desired, however, the attaching plates 5| may be short axial length, each carrying only a single pair of divergent beaters for attachment to a suitable cylinder structure. The wing portions ll of adjacent beaters are separated by the slots 20 although, if desired, the slots may be omitted so that the beater wings are integrally connected along the length of the gang.

The beaters of the present thresher, as exemplified in the several embodiments illustrated, exhibit soft threshing characteristics by reason of their relatively thin section in a circumferential direction in combination with their relatively great radial height. In each instance, the beaters have a laterally or circumferentially unsupported radial height at least about three times their thickness. Thus the beaters yield or bend back readil upon impact against their working faces adjacent the edges l2, the yielding being opposite the direction of rotation. This bending of the beaters under impact presents convex faces to articles, especially heavy and bulky articles such as rocks, wooden blocks and earth clods, seeking to enter the threshing zone. Suchartieles are acted upon by the bent beaters so as to be rejected and largely prevented from entering the threshing zone. lighter articles, such as grain and the like, are drawn into the thresher by the fan or blower action of the moving beaters acting as vanes and are moved through the thresher between the rotary cylinder and the concave S and subjected to the desired soft flailing or threshing action of the beaters.

In accordance with the patent statutes the principles of the present invention may be utilized in various ways, numerous modifications and alterations being contemplated, substitution of parts and changes in construction being resorted to as desired, it being understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are given merely for purposse of explanation and illustration without intending to limit the scope of the claims to the specific details disclosed.

What we claim is:

1. A gang beater assembly for use in a thresher havin a rotatable cylinder structure, said beater assembly comprising an elongated rigid bar adapted to be secured rigidly to the cylinder structure of the thresher for rotation with such structure and for facile removal and replacement, an elongated rubber beater member disposed in spaced generally parallel relation to the rigid bar and generally coextensive in length therewith, and a plurality of rubber stems formed integrally with the rubber beater member and spaced along the length of the latter said stems each extending between the rubber beater member and the rigid bar and each being secured to the rigid bar for supporting the beater member in said spaced parallel relation whereby upon securing the rigid bar to the cylinder structure 01' a thresher the rubber stems extend from the rigid bar generally radially outwardly with respect to the rotational axis of the cylinder and the rubber beater member is supported on the rigid bar at points spacedalong the length of the beater member wholly by the integral rubber stems and in radially outwardly spaced relation to the rigid bar for deflection circumferentially of the cylinder structure by bending of the rubber stems.

2. The gang beater assembly of claim 1 characterized in that the portions of said rubber Yet smaller and beater member intermediate the integral stems are each greater in depth radially of said axis and cylinder structure than in thickness circumferentially of said axis and cylinder structure.

3. The gang beater assembly of claim 1 characterized in that each of the rubber stems is greater in thickness circumferentially of said cylinder structure than the rubber beater member.

4. The bang beater assembly of claim 1 characterized in that the portions of said rubber beater member intermediate the integral stems are each greater in depth radially of said axis and cylinder structure than in thickness circumferentially of said axis and cylinder structure, and in that each of the rubber stems is greater in thickness circumferentially of said cylinder structure than the rubber beater member.

5. The gan beater assembly of claim 1 characterized in that the rigid bar is of metal formed with a longitudinally extending flange and in that the rubber stems are individually attached to the'said flange.

6. The gang beater assembly of claim 1 characterized in that the rigid bar is of metal of substantially L section providing a pair of angularly disposed flanges extending longitudinally of the bar, one flange of the pair being formed to receive elements for securing the bar to the cylinder structure and the rubber stems each being secured to the other flange of the pair.

HOWARD'M. DODGE. CLARENCE NEFF.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number- Name Date 547,813 Snyder Oct. 15, 1895 2,265,380 Maginn Dec. 9, 1941 2,308,367 Johnson Jan. 12, 1943 2,320,944 Maginn June 1, 1943 2,320,945 Maginn June 1, 1943 2,321,019 Dray June 8, 1943 2,327,113 Krotz Aug. 17, 1943' 2,327,901 Johnson Aug. 24, 1943 2,329,346 Golf Sept. 14, 1943 2,336,693 Maginn Dec. 14, 1943 2,361,633 Jones Oct. 31, 1944 

